Editor,

Reference is made to the Editorial, "Other countries should pick a leaf from Norway” (The New Times, February 12). Fugitives suspected to have committed or abetted acts of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda are having a blast in the Nordic countries where they fully integrated by learning local languages pretty fast and participating vigorously in the up-country or farming communes.

You will hardly find them settled in cities like Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo or Stockholm. They have acquired citizenship and are becoming very influential in such areas because of the community participation. One reason that partly explains this is that the governments and some church organisations in the Nordic region—namely Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland—have a strong belief that the fugitives were the most vulnerable and greatest victims during the Liberation War in Rwanda and during the Genocide; period!

And guess what the evidence they parade? The mere fact that they fled Rwanda, some from Kigali and other settlement towns to Goma in DR Congo, on foot...that in their wisdom is the worst and most dehumanising act that a people can be subjected too!

Forget about those killed by grenades (thrown by FDLR and RNC), machetes, rape and others dehuminised (during the Genocide against the Tutsi) because of being of a different ethnic group, or perceived as such! That’s unfortunately the current tragedy and situation.

For these fugitives to be brought back to answer for the alleged crimes, will require a multi-pronged approach, and Government must take the lead supported by such organisations as Ibuka (umbrella of Genocide survivors associations) and other institutions committed to fight against genocide ideology. The Nordic countries just need to be convinced that they are harbouring hardcore criminals and the rest will be history.

Cynthia Uwamaria